Answer Digital is an award-winning digital transformation company, employing over 80 people in their Leeds and London offices. In time for EO day 2020 on 26th of June, Gary and Kate sold 75% of their shares to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), which holds them on behalf and for the benefit of all the employees in Answer Digital.

“Once the principle of an EOT had been understood by myself and the Board, the process of transitioning to an EOT was very smooth. 

The support of several family members, who had inherited their shares but took no active part in running the business, was key to this transition. 

I cannot speak highly enough of Baxendale’s professional approach to this sometimes-complicated process.  Baxendale were superb at establishing where our principles lay, what was practical and what not, and most importantly being 100% behind the company with their open, honest and focused approach to the matters at hand.   They structured the legal documentation around these sometimes quite vague issues with such professionalism that I cannot speak highly enough of them.  The relief I now feel having completed this process is enormous and I can now look forward to a happy and relatively burden free retirement.
John Fisher - MD, Kingfisher”

Kingfisher (Lubrication) Limited is a manufacturing business from West Yorkshire that became employee owned in 2020. 

“Olly and I started Torchbox, but its successes have all been down to the wonderful, creative, thoughtful people who work here. We’re very happy that they are the new owners.

Baxendale’s knowledge and experience has helped us throughout our EO journey. Ewan and his team provided us with clear advice and guidance and were approachable and responsive at every stage of the process. We would highly recommend them.

Tom Dyson - Founder, Torchbox”

On 28th June 2019, Torchbox celebrated Employee Ownership Day by becoming the first digital agency in the UK to transfer 100% of the ownership of its business to its employees.

“John Hyland and myself recognised that our replacement by similar individuals was unlikely and that succession strength would  lie in the creation of a board of individuals sharing a similar professional philosophy, loyal to the HED brand value, with the company’s continued existence secured as a thriving, successful and independent organisation for the benefit of all involved.

Baxendale guided us, and HED, painlessly and efficiently through the process of transformation into ownership by an EOT that fulfilled our objectives.

Simon Edgar - Founding Director, HED”

Hyland Edgar Driver (HED) is one the UK’s leading independent providers of landscape architecture services. In July 2019 the company became wholly owned by an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

“As an Employee Trust owned business, I believe that the company and the individuals who work within it will flourish in a truly collaborative structure.

Baxendale, with their wealth of experience guided us through our journey with practical advice at each step in the process of establishing our Employee Owned Trust.

Rob Melling - Chief Executive, Curtins”

Curtins is one of the UK’s leading civil and structural engineering consultancies with over 350 staff supporting clients from 14 offices across the UK and Ireland. Curtins has spent over 60 years advising and supporting clients on how to build resilient and sustainable structures. They have applied those same principles to designing their own ownership structure, with a transition to employee ownership in 2021.

SA Group is a leading cyber security, P3M and technical consultancy. Their transition to employee ownership in 2021 represented an exciting new era for SA Group.